Hotels in Italy and Beautiful Villas

Moviemaker Francis Ford Coppola’s fifth hotel property is his most personal. It’s in Bernalda, the birthplace of his grandfather, a beautiful and un-touristy town in the arch of Italy’s boot. Coppola bought this 19th-century palace and renovated it, asking family members to decorate its nine rooms, with the help of interior designer Jacques Grange. The “Sofia” suite, for instance, has a feminine feel, with frescoed walls and both a steam shower and a claw-foot bathtub. A local chef runs the property’s restaurants and leads cooking classes. The food in Bernalda is so good, Coppola says, because of its proximity to “the salume of Calabria, the mussels of Taranto and the vegetables of Puglia.” Doubles from $489; booking.com, palazzomargherita.com.—Gina Hamadey